WintecVSD w/ CAIR panelsAll Purpose Saddles

Purchase: I purchased this saddle online through Dover Saddlery for about $500. I was looking everywhere for this saddle and Dover was one of the only carriers in the United States!

Likes: This saddle is fabulous. I tried the Wintec all purpose 500 saddle and was disappointed with how forward the flap was for an all purpose saddle. When I saw the VSD model online I purchased it right away and love it! The flaps are straighter and slightly longer more like a dressage saddle, but not so much that it hinders getting into jumping position, they also don't interfere with the horses shoulders as much as the 500. I use it on trail rides and in the arena, it stays comfortable even on long rides and my position feels balanced with my legs underneath my seat. It also has CAIR panels and the adjustable gullet system, which means that it will make just about any horse comfortable with almost no maintenance.

Dislikes: I wish the knee rolls were made from a smooth material like the rest of the saddle rather than the suede look. Also, I have noticed that the billets, or what they are attached to, have stretched slightly with wear. An optional crupper dee would be nice also.

Quality: I am very impressed with what Wintec has done to create the quality look of leather without the hassle. The material it is made of is very durable. Everything about it seems like it will last a very long time even with hard everyday use. I have the black version, but I have seen the brown version and was very impressed, it did not look fake like it does in pictures online.

Summary: Hopefully this saddle will get more attention in the United States. I just saw it in the Dover catalog, previously you could only find it online. It is well worth the extra cost compared to the Wintec 500.